Curious about Hormonal Male Macaws

[aooratrix]

I'm curious about members' experiences with their hormonal macaws. Let me tell you about Petey. He screams a lot more than before, especially if Daphne is inside or in another room. Yesterday, it was humid, so I had Harry & Petey on java trees. Petey alternated between screaming, opening both wings to full stretch, and attacking (not playing) with toys. He was hitting them so hard, it sounded similar to a cleaver hitting a cutting board.

Changing his water is a struggle. He makes soup, so I change it often. He strikes at me repeatedly, hard. He's not displaying; he aims for flesh. He grabs the water dish and spills a lot as I try to close the door.

When I open the door to change his paper, he boils out of the cage after me. I step him up on a perch, which is another battle, and put him on a java tree, so I can safely change his paper.

In the aviary, he displays at me constantly. When I go in, he follows me, lunging. Anytime he sees me, he lunges, strikes, and screams, seemingly in frustration. I can target train him with a chopstick and hand him a pine nut before dinner. Any other time, he attacks. Basically, he's aggressive if he can see me.

My friend's scarlet has been like this with her for 3 years now, non-stop. I'm really hoping Petey comes out of this in a few months.

Is this similar to what others have experienced?

 

[rocky'smom]

@aooratrix , can I ask a couple of questions for clarificatition
1. Have you tried reducing Petey's amount of light both natural and artificial? To see if it reduces his aggressiveness.
2. Is he housed with all females and their hormones ? Whether humans realize it or not, they (girls) throw their hormones out in the air too. I noticed this with my 2 if they are housed next to each other Bebe is alot more aggressive.

 

[macawpower58]

Exactly like Chaos was, but it was not months, more like a year or two at his worst.

No more (4 years later) hateful attacks, but many things are different from his younger days.

Tries to bite when dishes are changed. Water bottle a life saver.
Very cage territorial.
Fights toys.
Much more reactive.
Less forgiving.
Displays more, wings and feathers a fluff.
Not so much louder, but alerts much more often. His intruder alert is triggered easily.

Generally, he's just much more visibly in your face.

When it started, I carried a pillow as a macaw deflector.

Oh, and Chaos started around 12-13 years of age. He is now 18.

 

[Clueless]

I feel for you (but have no advice).

Both of my amazons will "attack" toys....... it always concerns me when that happens.

How is your mom handling this change?

 

[Hankmacaw]

Hank was 18/19 when I got him, but he was very ill and severely underweight for the first two years, so there was very little hormonal activity. He was just trying to survive. After his second year with me (as I remember) he was somewhat hormonal, but he was basically just mean as a result of the abuse he had experienced.

Jasper came to live with us after the third year and they began living in the same aviary together after just a few months - maybe four or five months. Hank fell head over heels in love with Jasper, but Jasper not so much with him. Hank was always subservient to her and was very gentle with her. Living together 24/7 they did the hoochie-coochie as much as they desired. Maybe that is why I really don't remember much expression of hormones from either of them. Jasper now shows mild hormones for four or five weeks.

This video is typical of their relationship.

 

[faislaq]

Hank was a hopeless romantic! What a great video.

 

[faislaq]

Changing his water is a struggle. He makes soup, so I change it often. He strikes at me repeatedly, hard. He's not displaying; he aims for flesh. He grabs the water dish and spills a lot as I try to close the door.

When I open the door to change his paper, he boils out of the cage after me. I step him up on a perch, which is another battle, and put him on a java tree, so I can safely change his paper.

Do any of your guys have a double cage that Petey can swap homes with? If you have a divider you could put in, you could target him into one side while you cleaned the other half and vice versa. (Hopefully his hormones simmer down soon, but if it continues that might be easier.) I thought you had just gotten a double mac cage, but read back and remembered you'd gotten Annie's pretty corner cage instead 'cause of the space. I didn't know if any Daff or harry had one already.

Even if you don't have the divider option, could changing cages help make him less territorial? He may still be hormonal, but if you could dilute his aggression in any way it would be a relief. I was just thinking it helps with other critters.

 

[msplantladi]

I would like to know diet & the amount of sleep your bird gets. Both play a HUGE role in aggression. I have no sunflowers or any seed in the diet has been a huge help. Most people over feed-the bird has to want something from you. I take food dishes out at night and in the morning when I uncover I offer a favorite treat, but he has to come to me to get it as you are building trust. I make chop so my birds are getting fresh foods-mix that w/ some veggies & a little fruit. Avi-calm is a all natural powder that Wouldn't live without. Patience's and time.

 

[faislaq]

I would like to know diet & the amount of sleep your bird gets. Both play a HUGE role in aggression. I have no sunflowers or any seed in the diet has been a huge help. Most people over feed-the bird has to want something from you. I take food dishes out at night and in the morning when I uncover I offer a favorite treat, but he has to come to me to get it as you are building trust. I make chop so my birds are getting fresh foods-mix that w/ some veggies & a little fruit. Avi-calm is a all natural powder that Wouldn't live without. Patience's and time.

Oh, @aooratrix's birds get one of the best diets on this forum. You should see his chop posts!!

I have never eaten as well as his flock does!

I hadn't thought of Avi-calm. Some folks swear by it.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Matthew… I'll start off with a followed by a wing and a prayer! Not having macaw experience I can only offer my own tidbits of what I did to handle Henry's aggression which was just like Petey's a couple years ago minus the screaming. Like you, the minute he saw me it was full on threats. I opened his door and walked away knowing if I didn't, he had full intent on jumping off at me ( which he did do … so I know his threats are earnest). I had very little eye contact with him during his rage, no conversation that might engage further irritation of my presence, and before letting him out for the day a peace offering left in the pan on top of his cage to show my visit did have one small benefit to him. ( Usually a nut that he would have to work on to remove the shell and occupy his pissoffedness behavior.) I never missed his grub meal in the evening and as I've mentioned to you before it helped tremendously to keep him busy while I changed his paper. There were days the food wasn't going to keep him at bay, yes… he wanted it but he also wanted me to leave immediately… so on those days I did hold a perch in one hand to keep him at bay so I could change the paper. Petey's aggression sounds like he is at his max peak. Here's one thing where we could be a tad wrong … that extra supply of food we give may also be a contributor to "some" of the aggression… in that "food a plenty" is bolstering the libido. Possibly? I don't know but food for thought anyway.

I know some folks here give chamomile tea to their birds. I think it would be worth reading on for it's relaxing properties and benefits to offering a mild tea for Petey instead of the water …. and at this point of his soup making abilities and dumping when you try to put the bowl in …. you might be making a couple of gallons to have on hand to try for a week. I'm just trying to think of a natural source to help take the edge off the savage beast…..

Could he use more outdoor time in the aviary by himself ( a lot of activity and fresh air to wear that boy out! ) and a good hearty shower with the garden hose? This is not punishment by any means… Henry LOVEs a garden hose shower…. there is no way I can haul his green a$$ to my shower for a good bath so an outdoor shower is much enjoyed by him.

Lastly, when Henry wore out my last nerve jumping on me…. he earned "Birdy Jail". I think I only kept him locked up in his cage for a week ( it's been two years, I'm getting older)… I held a perch to change his paper. He did not get his grub… just his pellets and fresh water. No eye contact, no conversation. He seemed to relax a bit and quite honestly, I don't know that a bird or any other creature understands consequences. Sometimes we just need a break from the aggression so it's ok to keep him locked up for a day or two and regroup your thoughts on redirecting his behavior. I think you leave your grates in but put your paper on top of the grate? If so, maybe go back to the old fashioned way of letting him poop on the grate and make it easier for you to pull a tray out to change the paper. Don't feel bad if you decide to keep him in his cage for a few days albeit you may have to deal with a ton of screaming. Maybe there is something you can hang on the outside of his cage that he will be occupied with to divert the screaming… a toy of some sort.. I'm stretching for ideas…. One more hug….

 

[macawpower58]

I also used chamomile tea, for a plucker.

 

[macawpower58]

Good luck Matthew.

Chaos got in my bedroom, under my bed, it took 40 minutes to wrangle him out of my room.

I felt like a bull fighter, keeping a blanket between him and my toes!

Ground is dangerous with a hormonal macaw.

 

[Icey]

i just went through this with Frankie and Bebe during their spring love. Frankie was super aggressive and territorial over the cage. I received the full open wings, the evil eye, and even Bebe would be aggressive. Thankfully they have both stopped now and Frankie is back to his sweetheart self. It did last about 3 weeks.

 

[Clueless]

Finally got to watch the video.....

Loved it.

 

[aooratrix]

Exactly like Chaos was, but it was not months, more like a year or two at his worst.

No more (4 years later) hateful attacks, but many things are different from his younger days.

Tries to bite when dishes are changed. Water bottle a life saver.
Very cage territorial.
Fights toys.
Much more reactive.
Less forgiving.
Displays more, wings and feathers a fluff.
Not so much louder, but alerts much more often. His intruder alert is triggered easily.

Generally, he's just much more visibly in your face.

When it started, I carried a pillow as a macaw deflector.

Oh, and Chaos started around 12-13 years of age. He is now 18.

Sounds almost exactly like Petey.

 

[aooratrix]

I feel for you (but have no advice).

Both of my amazons will "attack" toys....... it always concerns me when that happens.

How is your mom handling this change?

He displays at her but not the lunging. However, I won't be risking my 75 YO mother who's on blood thinner.

 

[camelotshadow]

No advice but a

 

[aooratrix]

I would like to know diet & the amount of sleep your bird gets. Both play a HUGE role in aggression. I have no sunflowers or any seed in the diet has been a huge help. Most people over feed-the bird has to want something from you. I take food dishes out at night and in the morning when I uncover I offer a favorite treat, but he has to come to me to get it as you are building trust. I make chop so my birds are getting fresh foods-mix that w/ some veggies & a little fruit. Avi-calm is a all natural powder that Wouldn't live without. Patience's and time.

I don't feed seeds at all, unless you count sprouts. For breakfast, my macaws get 1/4 cup of Caitec Ovenfresh Bites, 10 pine nuts, a hazelnut, an almond, a pistachio. Sometimes, I sub a walnut and/or pecan for 2 of the nuts. They also get a healthy pinch of Goldenfeast Gardenflora, and twice a week, they get a pinch of coconut flakes.

For lunch/snack, they get 1/4 cup of Harrison's pepper or Higgins InTune. I don't keep full bowls, but I don't leave empty bowls, either

For dinner, they get a warmed bowl of chop with either coconut oil or RPO, a spice (like cinnamon, curry powder, ginger powder, etc.), and supplements like ground flaxseed or bee pollen. I also make a chop sprinkle of TBA Herb salad, pepitas, cloves, star anise, allspice, and organic seeds: sesame, fennel, dill, and hemp. My last chop had 45 ingredients, including faro, 4 leafy greens, 2 different peppers, 3 root vegetables, 2 herbs, and multiple veggies. I'm pretty confident that my birds eat well.

 

[aooratrix]

Matthew… I'll start off with a followed by a wing and a prayer! Not having macaw experience I can only offer my own tidbits of what I did to handle Henry's aggression which was just like Petey's a couple years ago minus the screaming. Like you, the minute he saw me it was full on threats. I opened his door and walked away knowing if I didn't, he had full intent on jumping off at me ( which he did do … so I know his threats are earnest). I had very little eye contact with him during his rage, no conversation that might engage further irritation of my presence, and before letting him out for the day a peace offering left in the pan on top of his cage to show my visit did have one small benefit to him. ( Usually a nut that he would have to work on to remove the shell and occupy his pissoffedness behavior.) I never missed his grub meal in the evening and as I've mentioned to you before it helped tremendously to keep him busy while I changed his paper. There were days the food wasn't going to keep him at bay, yes… he wanted it but he also wanted me to leave immediately… so on those days I did hold a perch in one hand to keep him at bay so I could change the paper. Petey's aggression sounds like he is at his max peak. Here's one thing where we could be a tad wrong … that extra supply of food we give may also be a contributor to "some" of the aggression… in that "food a plenty" is bolstering the libido. Possibly? I don't know but food for thought anyway.

I know some folks here give chamomile tea to their birds. I think it would be worth reading on for it's relaxing properties and benefits to offering a mild tea for Petey instead of the water …. and at this point of his soup making abilities and dumping when you try to put the bowl in …. you might be making a couple of gallons to have on hand to try for a week. I'm just trying to think of a natural source to help take the edge off the savage beast…..

Could he use more outdoor time in the aviary by himself ( a lot of activity and fresh air to wear that boy out! ) and a good hearty shower with the garden hose? This is not punishment by any means… Henry LOVEs a garden hose shower…. there is no way I can haul his green a$$ to my shower for a good bath so an outdoor shower is much enjoyed by him.

Lastly, when Henry wore out my last nerve jumping on me…. he earned "Birdy Jail". I think I only kept him locked up in his cage for a week ( it's been two years, I'm getting older)… I held a perch to change his paper. He did not get his grub… just his pellets and fresh water. No eye contact, no conversation. He seemed to relax a bit and quite honestly, I don't know that a bird or any other creature understands consequences. Sometimes we just need a break from the aggression so it's ok to keep him locked up for a day or two and regroup your thoughts on redirecting his behavior. I think you leave your grates in but put your paper on top of the grate? If so, maybe go back to the old fashioned way of letting him poop on the grate and make it easier for you to pull a tray out to change the paper. Don't feel bad if you decide to keep him in his cage for a few days albeit you may have to deal with a ton of screaming. Maybe there is something you can hang on the outside of his cage that he will be occupied with to divert the screaming… a toy of some sort.. I'm stretching for ideas…. One more hug….

I appreciate this and will respond tomorrow!

 

[aooratrix]

@aooratrix , can I ask a couple of questions for clarificatition
1. Have you tried reducing Petey's amount of light both natural and artificial? To see if it reduces his aggressiveness.
2. Is he housed with all females and their hormones ? Whether humans realize it or not, they (girls) throw their hormones out in the air too. I noticed this with my 2 if they are housed next to each other Bebe is alot more aggressive.

He doesn't get unfiltered sunlight unless he's in the aviary. He's next to Daff, but I don't have a lot of room for juggling cages. I might do some moving, though.